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Biomechanical Analysis of the Field Hockey Sweep Skill Using Inertial Measurement Units
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Biomechanical Analysis of the Field Hockey Sweep Skill Using Inertial Measurement Units

Hillary Cox and Rachel V. Vitali
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland), Vol.26(10), 3095
05/14/2026
DOI: 10.3390/s26103095
PMID: 42197904
url
https://doi.org/10.3390/s26103095View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Wearable sensors like inertial measurement units (IMUs) can quantify sport technique in natural settings, yet field hockey-specific skill analyses remain limited. This exploratory study investigated how relative foot placement, stick orientation, and lower body kinematics at impact relate to performance of the field hockey sweep skill. Eight experienced female participants performed sweeps under three foot positions relative to the ball (in front, in line, and behind) while IMUs recorded body segment and stick motion. Sweep performance was characterized by accuracy, bounciness, and ball speed. Placing the foot in front of the ball was associated with reduced ball speed and a trend toward lower accuracy relative to the in-line reference, whereas placing the foot behind the ball did not differ from in line on any outcome. Stick roll at impact emerged as a consistent trial-level predictor, with a more open face associated with a greater likelihood of a bouncy sweep and slightly increasing ball speed. Stick pitch and lower limb joint angles were not significant within-participant predictors. However, between-participant analyses indicated that larger knee angles and smaller hip angles were associated with greater accuracy, while smaller average pitch was associated with faster ball speed. Together, these findings indicate that some aspects of sweep performance are amenable to immediate technique adjustments whereas others reflect stable individual movement tendencies. These findings provide a foundation for future work on offering evidence-based guidance for technique refinement and potential implications for injury risk reduction.
 wearable sensors inertial measurement unit field hockey sport performance

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